Sleighbells Ring
by Ebony Dear
Summary: RikuLenne, was a christmas fic for a friend. Please read and rate, it's been awhile!


Lenne really tried hard to find this outfit. She stared in the mirror for at least twenty minutes adjusting the bracelets, fixing the new locket she bought the day before, and checking her long, straight brown hair. Her friends all told her she was gorgeous, but she couldn't quite believe she could ever be compared with that word. Ever. She admitted this was probably the best she ever looked; her eyes examining the deep lavender dress with a matching colored lotus pinned in the side of her hair.

_How was she so nervous about one simple date?_ Her friends would ask her as she hurried to the bathroom to apply her makeup. Light sparkles added to her cheeks gave her a simple fun-loving appearance with a touch of elegance. She smiled, not because of her appearance, but of the person she was meeting tonight at … well, she didn't know just yet. The surprise of the date was more nerve-racking than anything she could remember. Because it was with him.

She stood in front of the mirror again, but could find nothing to fix. Then the doorbell rang. Her eyes widened and she turned to the sound of knocking. "He's here," she said in a breathless whisper.

Riku knocked on the door again, waiting outside in the chill night air as he leaned on the door frame. With a sliding sound and a click, the door opened and Lenne's slender frame came into view. Her eyes searched the ground for a moment then lifted slowly to meet his. The moment was priceless; for once even Riku couldn't find something to say. He only held out his hand like a gentleman, and Lenne took it.

"Where are we going?" she couldn't help but ask as a carriage pulled onto the side of the street. Riku only lead her up to the carriage and climbed in after. The ride commenced, and Riku finally brought up a topic for them to talk about.

"Are you looking forward to this?"

"If I only knew where we were going, I'm not clued in and it's odd." she said with a smile, becoming more comfortable with his company.

"That is a secret, one that I'll keep until we get there."

"And when will that be?" she came back with quickly, "A few minutes, or hours, I might go insane just wondering."

The wind picked up as Riku replied, "I won't let you, it'll ruin the date."

Lenne shivered instead of responding. She looked to the side at the lit lampposts when she felt something wrap around her shoulder. It was his arm, draped in a bright white jacket. Her eyes met his again for a moment before she said, "If this is the only thing planned, I'll still think it's the best date I've ever been on."

With that, Riku only smirked as he held her tighter.

Moments passed, idle conversation took place, and then there were lights- bright white- strewn all over the park they came to. It was what was left of the White Festival from only hours before. They illuminated the trees, and the dew covered grass. The walkway was of clay-colored cobblestones, and winded far out of view. But, on the right side in a clearing between the trees, lay a large blanket. Riku bent down in the carriage and picked up a basket from under the seat.

Lenne's eyes lit up like the lights in the park, and Riku stepped off the carriage and offered his hand again.

"You- you couldn't have planned this!" she accused playfully as her boots touched the ground.

"I had a little help," he admitted, a serious look on his face that made Lenne think he was being uptight, "I can't be in two places at once."

Their shoes clicked on the stones as they headed toward the blanket, and as they seated themselves Lenne noticed why he had chosen the clearing. The moon was a perfect orb in the dark night sky, and stars twinkled brightly around it.

"I had a feeling you'd like it," Riku broke the silence as he pulled out a few onigiris. He handed one to Lenne, waiting for her to take a bite out of it before he began to eat his. The silence that ensued as they ate left them both thinking about things.

_This night is going smoothly, I hope nothing happens to ruin it._

"How come you never told me you liked me?"

"There wasn't a right time."

"What made you think it was right that day?"

"The way your eyes sparkled on the dance floor."

"That's what made you--"

"Yes."

He just always kept things so… internal. She looked down at her dress as she took the last bite of the rice ball.

Riku sighed, "It's never easy, to tell someone. Not for me."

"I understand," Lenne replied.

"But, you didn't seem to mind," he said as he looked at her.

"No," she laughed, "not at all."

She looked back at him, and then she couldn't look away. For a moment she thought, _please kiss me_. He began to lean in. She closed her eyes. And the water began to pour!

Rain drenched the blanket, it drenched Riku's hair, and it soaked into Lenne's beautiful dress. After hours of planning, hours of decision after decision. She wanted to look beautiful for him, and now- the rain! She stood up quickly, trying to find some way to hide from the pouring droplets of doom. Riku hurried after her, catching up to her as she huddled, standing under a tall oak tree.

"It's just a bit of rain," he called to her as he made his way directly in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her head in his chest. Her mumbles couldn't be heard from the rain and the muffler that happened to be Riku's black shirt.

"What are you saying!" he started, frustrated.

"It's all ruined," Lenne blurted, "This dress, the date! I wanted to look beautiful for you, so you would like me. Like at the dance, and now it's all-- soaked!"

At this Riku began to laugh, softly at first and then he grew louder. Lenne stood still in embarrassment, but was stirred as he looked up into the rain and then back at her.

"Why don't you think you're beautiful?"

"You never noticed me until the dance! What else could I think!"

"I liked you before the dance, Lenne! You were so confident, and you were always beautiful."

"Then why wait!"

"Because I had to know."

"Know what?" she said, her voice calming down.

"That the look in your eyes was love, and not just the beauty bewitching me."

His hand tilted her chin up, and with that their lips met in a kiss so soft that the rain trickled down between them. A kiss that meant more to both of them than anything that happened that night. She had really tried hard to find the perfect dress, but instead she found love.


End file.
